Mercy Clinics announced Wednesday that it now offers a new screening test for colorectal cancer.

Officials said the Cologuard test is the first and only FDA-approved noninvasive stool DNA screening test for colorectal cancer.

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"As a patient-friendly screening option, Cologuard represents a significant advance in the fight against colon cancer," said Timothy McCoy, D.O., Mercy Clinics quality medical director in a news release. "Colonoscopy is still the gold standard for colon cancer screening, but making Cologuard available for patients who refuse this option will hopefully encourage patients to get regular screenings and, in turn, improve survival rates for this preventable cancer."

The test does not require medication, dietary restrictions or bowel preparation before the test. It's for people 50 years or older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States among both men and women.

Mercy officials said patients who have this kind of cancer detected at an early stage have a five-year survival rate that can be greater than 90 percent.